Modern Governance for the “Great Nation” of China – David Bandurski

Since the release more than a week ago of new legislation on government transparency in China, a number of domestic media have addressed its possible impact on a range of issues, such as anti-corruption, public health and environmental protection. In two separate editorials last week, 21st Century Business Herald (21‰∏ñÁ∫™ÁªèÊµéÊä•ÈÅì) addressed the national ordinance on release of government information (‰∏≠Âçé‰∫∫Ê∞ëÂÖ±ÂíåÂõΩÊîøÂ∫ú‰ø°ÊÅØÂÖ¨ÂºÄÊù°‰æã) and similar legislation released one day later by China’s State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA). The crux of both editorials was the need to push for institutional change to force accountability within China’s vast bureaucracy, and one editorial likened the process to IBM’s turnaround in the 1990s, saying China needed to become a “great nation” with the finesse of a “dancing elephant.” [Full text]